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The Pacific Historian Western Americana

1959

The Pacific Historian, Volume 03, Number 3(1959)

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The Pacific Historian ff<!jarter!y Bulletin qf the California History Foundation,

the Westerners Foundation, and the Jedediah Smith Society CoLLEGE OF THE PAciFIC STOCKTON 4' CALIFORNIA

Volume III MAY 1959 Number 2

California Local or Localized History.P By DR. CLARENCE F. MciNTOSH

Local history as an aspect of systematic research and study by professionally trained historians has been in disrepute in the United States since at least the turn of the century. Seemingly overwhelmed by the significance of national events, a large majority of the professionals left the field of amateurs and struggling local societies. Only in the past fifteen years have a few professional historians of significant reputation again devoted research in local fields. The consensus that comes from the writings of this small group is that the study of local events is valuable and appropriate if these events are inter­preted from a broad perspective. The term that is applied to this type of local study is "localized" history. In brief, this point of view asserts simply that historians who deal with local events should view them as localized aspects of widespread phenomena.

It is beyond the scope of this paper to examine why local history fell from grace in the eyes of professional historians. Nor is this the occasion to emphasize the point that historians of the nation are now being tarred with the same brush they have used against historians of the locality, for international events have shown the limitations of inter­preting events from the national point of view. In addition, this is not the place to explore the fact that all events are, in one sense, local since they occur in a specific locality. Also, it merely need be pointed out that some professional historians- particu­larly frontier and southern regional historians-have long been doing what the local historians are now being asked to do. The essential fact is that the interpretation of local events-the types of events individuals and local historical societies deal with-could be vastly improved if seen from within as broad a setting as is possible.

I A few examples first from the state level of history and then from local history

will illustrate the meaning of this assertion. From state history, the Bear Flag Revolt, the overland emigrant parties, and the election of 1916 in California, all events of relative familiarity, will serve the purpose of illustration. A murder case and the history of a church, drawn from Butte county history, are relevant local samples.

The Bear Flag Revolt offers the best example since its widely held interpretation is the result of gross misinterpretation and of provincial, limited romanticism of an extreme form. It was quite an interesting experience for the author, as an emigrant from Iowa, to learn how many Californians view the Bear Flag incident. Being an

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uninitiated outsider and having studied American acquisition of California at the primary, secondary, and higher education levels eleswhere, he had learned, as other Americans do, that California, a province of Mexico, became a part of the United States as a result of the Mexican War. But the folklore of California, which is pre~ sented as history, offers a vastly different interpretation. It states that Bear Flaggers created an independent California, which then became a part of the United States. There is no doubt that this "highly romantic tradition," as Robert Glass Cleland described it, had no basis in fact. The Bear Flag Revolt did not create an independent nation; and, in fact, it is of no significance in the actual American acquisition of California. This is not to say that the Bear Flag Revolt is insignificant. It does demon~ strate very clearly the attitude of the foreign, American squatters in the province at the time; it was another in a long chain of incidents that reflected the ill feeling between the Californians and foreigners; and most important, it was, as contemporary observers like John Bidwell pointed out, another example of filibustering- that is, of individuals acting illegally as private military freebooters-which was characteristic of American frontier history from the 1790's to the 187o's. It should be viewed in this light; to do otherwise is to misinterpret the entire incident. There are many reasons for the prevalence of this misinterpretation of the Bear Flaggers, but it appears that the most significant is the provincial outlook of past and present California local, amateur historians, fourth-grade textbook writers, and fourth-grade school teachers.

Another subject of great interest to Californians is the records of emigrant parties to California in the I 84o's- the Bartleson-Bidwell, the Donner, the Death Valley, and a host of other parties. We marvel at the hardships endured, the personal tragedies encountered, and the heroism demonstrated by these farming and mining pioneers. Would not our perspective be improved and our understanding enriched if we also noted the hardships, tragedies, and heroism of some city pioneers coming from Europe to American east-coast ports in the same era? Ocean-crossing immigrants, according to a leading historian of the immigrants, Carl Wittke, also endured "fraud, exploita­tion, hardships, privations, disease, suffering and death." Like the land-crossing emi­grants, they were victims of exaggerated reports of America as the land of milk and honey. They too had emigrant guides that led or misled them to the western shores. Until the late 185o's, it was either by choice or necessity that most steerage passengers took their own food along for the voyage. Delays and storms sometimes left them at the point of starvation or actually starving before they reached the promised land. The ship H award was ninety-six days from Hamburg to New York as late as I 8 58, and during the last forty-two days of the voyage, there was not water fit for drinking as well as a food shortage aboard. To add to this, a cholera epidemic struck and took thirty-seven lives. Or, in the winter, I 84 7-1848, just one year after the Donner tragedy, some Irish immigrants boarded the ship, India, at Liverpool. They were steerage passengers-steerage deck probably being around five feet in height. Their food supplies, which they brought along, were half-exhausted during an eleven-day delay at the port of embarkation. In its crossing, the ship ran into a heavy storm. The hatches, the only sources of fresh air to steerage, had to be closed for four days, and three hundred passengers remained in the heat and filth of steerage. When the hatches were finally opened, the rush to the ladders was so great that several passengers were injured. By the fifth week out, fifteen had died of "ship fever" and were buried at

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sea. Forty-two were sick in bed, some so delirious that they had to be tied down. Then, an epidemic of diarrhea broke out. The voyage lasted only two months, but on arrival at Staten I sland, the sick had to be carried to straw-covered cart beds and hauled to a hospital. Had these Irish swapped accounts with the survivors of the Donner party, they too would have had some shocking tales to tell.

But the reader may ask, "What has this . to do with the history of emigrants to California?" Specifically nothing, but that is not the point. Is not our understanding of the emigrant parties somewhat deeper, a bit better, if we realize that their record is only one detail of a much larger story-the history of the migration of peoples on earth? (The last prepositional phrase is essential, since migration might have a much larger scope in the near future.)

Allow one more familiar story before going to the local history level. Many Californians, and others, believe that Woodrow Wilson won the 1916 election and thus became the nation's World War I leader as the result of some incidents in Califor­nia. Charles Evans Hughes, his opponent, offended the labor union members in San Francisco by, among other things, eating in a restaurant that displayed an open-shop card. H e later went to Long Beach where, in the Virginia Hotel, he and his managers snubbed Hiram Johnson, the progressive Republican governor of the state, and thus offended the progressive voters. These incidents occurred in August, 1916. In Novem­ber, on election night, Hughes went to bed assuming he was president-elect, but when the California returns came in, he lost the state by under four thousand votes, and thus the electoral college majority went instead to Wilson.

There are several weaknesses in this interpretation, as George Mowry points out in his recent study, The California Progressives. Essentially one need merely ask: Why should California be credited for the Hughes defeat or the Wilson victory, simply because its election returns came in last? Why not Ohio, which had twenty-four electoral votes in contrast to California's thirteen, and which voted for Wilson even though it was a stronger Republican state than California? Or, why not some other state? The reasoning used in the familiar account is similar to that of a recent con­gressman in a Bay-area congressional district, who used to take personal credit for the extension of the Selective Service Act, which passed the House of Representatives in I941 by a vote of 203-202, a one vote margin. Of course, he could take the credit since he provided the one vote necessary for victory. The only trouble is, 202 others could make the same claim! In the I 9 I 6 election, Democratic concentration of effort in politically marginal counties in such states as Ohio, California, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, M aryland, Missouri and Oklahoma brought the victory to Wilson, one his­torian of elections, Edgar Eugene Robinson, has concluded. Thus California's role in the election was only a part of a national phenomenon, and we must get our perspec­tive out of the narrow confines of our state to realize this.

"No matter how hard the chambers of commerce [and we must include Carey McWilliams] may insist that it is 'different,' twentieth-century California, with its great urban population and corresponding weight in national affairs, shares in the main themes of American life." Earl Pomeroy reminded us of this several years ago in the California Historical Society Quarterly. He went on to add, "But even in the pioneer period California represented much of the rest of the west and thereby the rest of the nation." We should not forget this.

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II If, as Pomeroy asserts, "the story of •.. California reflects much of the general

American spirit and scene," does the story of your own county do the same thing? There is little doubt that it does. Two examples of typical subjects of local historians will demonstrate this.

The annals of crime-particularly murder-are of great interest in the history of a locality. In this case, the murder occurred on election day, September 4, I86I, in Dogtown, later to be called Magalia, a Butte county mining town on the ridge above the West Branch of the Feather River. Political differences and liquor, it appears were the causes of the crime.

There are various accounts of what actually took place, but apparently this is what occurred. One Jacob G. Greer joined a group of young men celebrating after the election. It was a victory at the polls for the pro-Union supporters in the county as well as in Dogtown, and some residents of the Ridge, being from the South, were disappointed. According to what Jake said years later, a bystander, Dutch Fred, whose last name is unknown and who came from Lovelock a few miles on up the Ridge, shouted, "Hurrah for Jeff Davis!" Jake took offense and wanted to talk this over with Dutch Fred. He insisted that they have a drink together, but the Lovelock resident refused to drink with him. Jake went after him, spoiling for a fight, so Fred stepped into a "Cheap John" store and selected a pick-axe handle with which to defend him­self. Jake then drew a butcher knife, and in the fight, stabbed his opponent on his left side, a little below the heart, inflicting "a ghastly and mortal wound from which he died in about six hours." Jake was arrested and turned over to authorities in Oroville, the county seat. He was indicted by the grand jury, and in the second trial (the first one ending with a divided jury), he was convicted of murder in the first degree. The judge sentenced Jake to execution by hanging on May 30, I 862.

While Greer looked out from his jail cell, watching the progress of the construction of the scaffold for him, his counsel appealed to the state supreme court, which stayed the execution while considering the case. The scaffold was torn down. In the following April, I 863, the supreme court affirmed Jake's sentence, and he was sentenced to hang on May 22. The scaffold was built again. Greer and his friends lost all hope, but an hour and a half before the execution was to take place, according to one account, a rider galloped up the Marysville road with a document from Governor Stanford. Greer's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

Jake was taken to San Quentin prison, and after serving about a decade, was pardoned. He returned to Magalia years later and finally died as a result of injuries received in his attempt to prevent his employer from being crushed in a building which collapsed while they were moving it. He kept the saw, the story goes, that the carpenter used in building the two scaffolds as a momenta the rest of his life.

This brief biography of Jacob Greer, which is a mixture of fact and folklore, is perhaps typical in the record of crimes of a county. Here is Jake- hardly an average or ordinary citizen-who, in his own way, made quite a record for himself. Now can this account be made into localized rather than local history? The murder itself can.

A further reading of the Butte Record discloses another fight in Magalia, four months after Dutch Fred had his fatal encounter with Greer. On January 2, I862,

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a Captain Bracy and one Dave Sullivan had a fight in Stryker's saloon in which the latter was stabbed with a bowie knife. Their differences were over the political status of the new Republican postmaster of Magalia. Here is additional evidence of the violence that arose from politics in the county at the time. This immediately leads one familiar with the state's and nation's history to recall the infamous duel in San Mateo County between DavidS. Terry and David C. Broderick in which the latter, a United States Senator, received wounds from which he died. Coupled with the violence on the frontier, politics gave to California and the nation a record punctuated frequently with resorts to force in the 185o's and 186o's, even on the floor of the United States Senate. Jacob Greer and Dutch Fred, as well as Captain Bracy and Dave Sullivan were indeed reflecting in Butte County a tragic aspect of the American spirit and scene of their own time.

Another typical local history project is the history of a church. A brief sketch of the history of Bidwell Memorial Presbyterian Church of Chico, organized in I 868, will serve as an example. Its highlights included the construction of a church building in I870 and a larger one in I909. This was destroyed by fire in I93I and the present building was then constructed. An addition was built in I 9 56. Including the organizer, a total of fifteen ministers have served the congregation. An Indian mission started in I 868 by Mrs. John Bidwell, a Chinese mission started in I 899, and the prominence of the Bidwells in its other affairs are other historic points of interest. Its growth has been from I6 members to over I300. These facts provide the skeleton framework of the church's past, and are certainly the events of greatest interest to members of the congregation. But if a local historian writing the history of the church were to stop after an elaboration on these points of its past, the product would be merely local, rather than localized history.

There are numerous other facets of its history which must be explored. The church was founded just one year prior to the union of the Old School and the New School Presbyterians. Which was it? Were the differences between these two groups reflected in its early history? Has the church grown more rapidly or more slowly than the membership of other churches in the presbytery and synod? Have its members played important roles in the church organization beyond the congregation? How do the Indian and Chinese missions compare to those in other churches at the same time? Did the great theological issues of the day, over historical criticism and evolution, reflect in its history? Did the congregation respond to social issues, such as temperance, militarism, and race relations? If so, how? Has the church played a leading role among the churches of the community or has it been a follower? What is the relationship between its members and the social structure of the community? This search should lead the researcher, no doubt, as far as New York and Philadelphia by correspondence if not in travel, and no doubt the historian will not find answers to all of these, and other questions. The point is, the history of the congregation must be viewed first in terms of itself, and then in relation to the history of Presbyterianism and Christianity over the century. It must also be seen in relation to other denominations in the com­munity, and in relation to the community itself, California, and the world. Unless this is done, there will be no proper way to evaluate its past, and its history will not have genuine significance.

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III A great British historian of the nineteenth century once remarked that "History is

the art of comparison." This insight offers the key to understanding what localized history means. Local and state historians should see the history of a local area and of a state in relation to the total context of events of the time and in other places. To do so will raise it above the hazards of local pride and trivia and will give it enriched interest as well as significance. If they do this, they will find the world at their threshold. Only then will the history of the locality become a part of universal history.

Murphy's Ranch- New State I-'andmark By GLENN PRICE

The State Historical Landmarks Committee and the State Park Commission have just approved and registered as State Historical Landmark No. 68o, the site of "Murphy's Ranch," west of the Stockton-to-Sacramento road on the north bank of the Consumnes River. The registration was requested and supported by the California History Foun­dation of the College of the Pacific and by the Stockton Corral of Westerners.

The first overt act by Americans against the government of California occurred on June I o, I 846, at the Murphy Ranch. As Dr. Mcintosh points out in the lead article of this issue of the Historian, the conquest of this Mexican province, and the acquisition of the area by the United States, was set in motion elsewhere; it was to be one of the fruits of the war against Mexico and the skirmishes and pronouncements and flag-making by Americans in California were unnecessary to this purpose. Unknown to anyone in California, war against Mexico had been declared by the Congress of the United States almost a month earlier, on May I 3· But, as Dr. Mcintosh also implies, these rebellious actions are significant in the pattern of American-Mexican relationships. The site of this first act of force against the Mexican government is one of the more important historic landmarks in California. It would undoubtedly have been registered and marked long before now but for the difficulty of locating the "Murphy Ranch."

Mr. Reginald R. Stuart, Director of the California History Foundation, has for many years pursued the study of the Murphy family in California and was able to establish the facts necessary for registration. Ernest Rufus was the first owner of the ranch; maps of the early 'forties show it as "Rancho de Earnesto." Martin Murphy, Jr., bought it from him in I 84 5, and it was in his corral that Lt. Francisco Arce placed the army horses which he was driving from the Sonoma Valley to the San Jose area. When the band of American settlers conferred with Captain Fremont and then captured the horses and drove them back up the Sacramento Valley to the American settlements, they committed themselves to rebellion against the Mexican government.

The ranch has changed ownership several times since Murphy lived there. It was for years owned by Thomas McConnell and many still refer to it as the McConnell Ranch. Mr. Jack Lewis now owns the ranch and gave pet'mission for its registration as a historical landmark. (Coutiuued 011 page 34)

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The Dexter Hazen Hutchins Letters Edited by GRACE DELL STUART

LETTER IV

Panama July Izth I852

Dear and affectionate wife I take this opportunity to write you a letter the first opportunity I have h ad since I

left Rio janeiro from which place I wrote you one by way of Boston. My health is good and has been most of the time with the exception of sea sickness and a slight attack of dyentery which lasted one week out from Rio. Our voyage has progressed very slow when we left N.Y. we expected to be in this port in fifty five days but we have been doomed to disappointment today being I IS days out and at this hour some 30 miles from port. I can give you but a faint idea of our journey which has been very tedious and irksome.

We left N. York on the I 9th day of March at night on board the Steam Ship Pioneer. The firs [ t] day we went no farther than Sandy hook where we cast our anchor and lay over night. Raised our anchor early the next morning and were soon out of the sight of land upon the broad Atlantic. The second day out we broke down the engine which remained inactive one week during which time we had very stormy rough weather which lasted until we got acrost the gulf stream after which we had a pleasant run to Riojaneiro. Nothing of importance happened on the passage worthy of note except a plenty of sea sickness which by the by was not very pleasant and some of the passengers looked like ghosts before they got their accounts squared with old neptune who does not go on the tic principle but exacts a tribute from all who trust to him. We first saw land the 28 day from New York which I assure you was a joyful sigh [ t] to all and such land too. Mountains thousands of f eet high and comeing to the waters edge there ending in awful precipices grand beyond anything I ever thought of. We remained in Rio IO days during which time I enjoyed the luxury of rambling over the mountains and through some very fine valies beautifully covered with a great variety of tropical plant which were very interesting to me as well as curious. the city contains 250

thousand people and I should think that over half were slaves going bare with the exception of a cloth tied around their hips and comeing half way down to knee. But I should think the morals of the place are equal if not superior New York. Taking it all together the city and Mountains by which it is surrounded is a very interesting place. We left Rio on the 29th of April at 3 P. M. Within five days after leaveing we lost 3 of our steerage passengers who died from disease contracted in port. Our ship doctor called it the yellow fever and no doubt it was as there were numbers of cases in the city but probably they would not have had it had they not exposed themselves unnecessaryly. Great numbers were attacked with dysentery and it is not to be wondered among so many four hundred in number and of course not a few intemperate ones. Several of our boys were attacked but all got well in a few days. But I assure you it looked hard to see our companions die and be thrown over board in 2 or 3 hours after they were dead and with the prospect of having a general run of fever through the vessel We had a pleasant passage to and through the Straits having

32 '1 'he Pacitic Historian

a very narrow escape on the coast of Patagonia having ran and in the night to within 3 or 4 rods of a reef of rocks with our ship headed directly for them but our mate happening to be on deck at the time seeing the breakers gave the order without any delay to wear ship which was done just in time to save her from a wreck and us passengers wandere [ r] s on the barren plains of Patagonia. The prospect was interest­ing through the Straits there being a rige of mountains on either side some covered with snow and others with ice which has remained on them for years perhaps for centuries. The first night in the straits we lay at anchor but the next night anchorage could not be found there being such a debth of water. the Straits are about two miles wide sometimes wider and in some places not half that. We saw nothing of importance with the exception of some wild Indians wild cattle and several strange species of birds some sea Elephants and so forth &c On the I 5th of May we entered the pacific ocean where we were doomed to much delay by head winds which we had to perfection as you may know when I tell you we wr until th 3rd of June being I 9 days in running I400 miles. And such winds I never saw the like before for two weeks we had a tre­mendous storm once in three days and in consequence of our being out of coal we were doomed to much anxiety and disapointment in lengthening out the time for making the trip. I wish you could [have] been where you could have seen those waves not on the vessel for you would have been much frightened for they were worth seeing. I think rather the grandest scene I ever beheld is the Ocean in a mighty storm and we had four one of which old seamen said they never saw the like before I think many of the waves were nearly fifty feet high that is there were variations on its surf ace to that hight. the top of our bulwarks were twenty feet above water usually and during these storms the water was sometimes high above us then again far below when our vessel rode on the top of the wave. The howling winds aroaring through the rigging and the mighty waves dashing foaming and roaring And taking it all together forming a spectacle that can not be conceived. We entered the port of Talcahuano on the 3rd day of June at night after dark so dark that the officers could not see where to cast their anchor and in consequence cast it near a reef of rocks that at high tide were covered with water. In the night a terrible storm arose the hardest the port had suffered in eight years and in the morning about 9 Oclock we ran or rather drifted on to these rocks where it was thought we should have to leave her as it was expected that she could not be got off but would suffer total shipwreck as two English vessels had done some years before. We lay knocking on the rocks 6 hours when we after the most extroidenary exertions we succeeded in getting her off In getting her off we were obliged to get up a head of steam which was rather dear steam th firs having to be milde of tar rosin pitch pork beef lard and several spars one of which cost 65 dollars in New York. But the fire although dear was not like looseing the boat as that cost 2 or 300,000 dollars. We remained in Talcahuano (pronounced Tockawana [ 1] I I days during which time I was ashore much of the time and am well satisfied that it [is] the oldest meanest dirti est and the people the most degraded of any under the sun the men all drunkards and the women all prostitutes or nearly so. Many of the passengers were caught in their toils and to their sorrow to [ o] for they took diseases that will be likely to stay by some time to come. But none of our boys have been caught in this way neither in their toils neither have any of them been the worse for liquor or been in any fight or quarrel since

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we left home I think we are the civilest lot on the vessel. We left Tulcahuano on the 14th day of June at night for Valparaiso running in sight of the Andes all the way which were covered with snow and presented a very grand prospect although at 90 miles distant. We got into Valparaiso in 24 hours from Tulcahuano We remained in Valparaiso 3 days. It is a fine town of considerable buisness situated on the side of a mountain in plain sight of the Andes. The people are courteous and seem to be a moral people generally. Sailed from Valparaiso on the 16th for Coquimbo where we remained 9 days coaling up in the meantime by putting on board I ooo tons of coal at 2 3 dollars pr. ton While remaining here I went to the city of Serena a place of about 20,000 inhabitants now in a state of revolution and where about 2 months since was fought a bloody engagement in which 6 or 900 were killed and wounded. Coquimbo formerly was a fine place but most of it having been sunk by an earthquake nothing now remains but a few houses surrounded by poor miserable huts. We left Coquimbo on the 26 of June for Panama where we now are now haveing cast anchor about 5 oclock this afternoon after a run of I 6 days a distance of 26oo miles and also had a very pleasant time comfortable weather and fair wind all the way until last night. This morning we passed a group of beautiful Islands all covered with perpetual verdure We expect to start for San Juan 400 miles distant tomorrow morning I expect there is a letter in town from you but I think I shall not be able to get it as I shall not go ashore for it will cost me 2 dollars. I shall send this by the American Consul who is comeing on board for that purpose and will bring all directed in care of the ship Pioneer. But I suppose you did not do so therefore I fear I shall loose the pleasure of reading it I must say something of our fare we have lived as well as I expected to it consists of hard bread baked inN. Y. Salt beef & pork coffee once a day and tea once a day all the sugar we want with salt pepper mustard fresh beef about every other day potatoes soft bread 2 times a week. I have not tasted a cake or a piece of pie since I left New York I 14 days. There is much growling by the passengers but they cannot help themselves.

We have seen lots of all kinds of fish porpoises black fish and any quantity of whales some within a few feet of the ship frisking and playing about and even jumping 20 to 25 feet out of the water as though they were striving to amuse us and certainly presenting a sight worth looking at I should think some of them were 20 feet in circuperance with a head IO feet long and a tail apparently IO feet wide. And birds I must also speak of of which we have seen thousands The most remarkable wer the Pellican a very large bird with a bill 14 inches long and a pouch hanging beneath it capable of holding 6 or 8 quarts. The Albatross is another beautiful bird with very rich plumage and many times measuring I 5 feet from tip to tip of its wings. We caught several that measured nearly I I feet. their feet or rather the skin of them will hold a pint and many of them were saved for money purses we caught them with hooks attached to a line without hurting them. I dont think of much else to write that will be interesting and must bring my letter to a close as my sheet is getting used up and so am I for I am writing in the steerage on a chest with a half dozen Frenchmen jabbering around me like so many geese and it is as hot as it well can be and nearly ten oclock. I will just say that I have enjoyed the journey much better than I expected to but it has been hard enough what I do not wish to experience again

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We have as a general thing a very good natured and obliging set of men although there are many exceptions. There are some 20 women on board some families and some with their friends all cabin passenger but one french woman who has a husband I hope we shall be in Calafornia in 30 or forty days and when I get located I shall [write] to all the folks that I promised to and you must be punctual in ansering them after you Receive my location. I wrote you from Rio but fearing you would not get it I have about the same substance in this I shall send one to Thaddeus from the next port. I want to see all the folks among the rest that little red headed boy who I have thought of several times if not more and I hope he is well and growing I hope you will keep him in the right path . My paper is gone and I must bid you adieu. Remember my love which is twice as much as I supposed it to be and accept the assurance that I shall ever remain your loveing and devoted husband D. H . Hutchins

Murphy's Ranch (Co?Jtimted from page JO)

A plaque will be placed on the west side of Highway 99, in the Fall of this year, with an appropriate ceremony. The inscription on the plaque will read as follows:

MURPHY'S RANCH

This is the site of the beginning of the conquest of California by the United States. On June IO, I846, American settlers led by Ezekial Merritt overpowered soldiers under Lt. Francisco Arce and took their Mexican Army horses from the corral of the Murphy Ranch on the north bank of the Consumnes River. The "Bear Flag" action in Sonoma followed on June I4, I846.

CALIFORNIA REGISTERED HISTORICAL LANDMARK No. 68o Plaque placed by the California State Park Commission in cooperation with the California History Foundation of the College of the Pacific and the Stockton Corral of Westerners, , I 9 59·

Is This a Phony? By R. R. STUART

In her "California, Indoors and Out," I 8 s6, on page 2 I 3> Eliza w. Farnham states: "It was a Spanish or California side-saddle, made for the rider to sit facing the right hand-the fashion of all the native women in these Spanish States."

Professional riders tell me there could be no such thing as a right-handed saddle. They say that to use such a saddle, one would need to approach the mount from the right side, and that no self-respecting horse would stand for that.

How about it, Westerners from all over the world? Who is right: the little lady, or the professional horseman?

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Early Justice in Sonora B}' MARGARET HANNA LANGE

Continued from February issue

35

Following is a typical agreement, drawn up in longhand, as late as 1853, in the Court House in Sonora. "We the undersigned agree to adopt the following rules for the government of the EMPIRE MINING COMPANY while working their claim. We select Michael Boyle as our Foreman, who has the direction of the workers. We select Patrick McConnell as Secretary who shall keep a correct account of all expenses justly Chargeable to the Co, also an Account of the Gold Dust procured each day and enter the same in a Book kept for that purpose. We also select James McLane as Treasurer who shall take charge of the dust taken out and Divide weekly to each partner the net proceeds of their Labour. Every member who shall fail to work from any cause shall pay to those who do work the sum of Five Dollars for each and every day he or they may be absent Provided however the Foreman shall have the choice to hire a man at the Absentee's Expense-

Chas. M. Radcliff agt James P. Bradish Michael Boyle Francis Reynolds Patrick McConnell James Roun J ames McLane Patrick McCreary"

Miners' courts functioned in different ways, some with a "board" of three to five who arbitrated when contention arose, others with the whole camp which passed judgment. On the jury's verdict con~erning a disputed bar at Pine Log Crossing is the notation, "By Consent of parties 3 jurors was chosen to whom this case was referred." Personal differences were left to the disputants, but matters of "claim jumping," size, and use of the water ditches were taken up and settled with finality . In a report to the Adjutant General of the Army, Washington, D. C., made by Bennett Riley, Brevet Brigadier General, U.S. Army and Governor of California, August 30, I 849, from Monterey, the following statement appeared: "Before leaving Monterey I heard numerous rumors of irregularities and crimes among those work­ing in the placers; but on visiting the mining regions, I was agreeably surprised to learn everything was quite the reverse ... and that order and regularity were preserved throughout almost the entire extent of the mineral districts. In each little settlement, or tented town, the miners elected their local alcaldes and constables, whose judicial decisions and official acts are sustained by the p eople and enforced with much regularity and energy. It is true that in a few instances certain local questions have produced tempora1·y excitements and difficulties but none of these have been of a very impor­tant character, or led to serious results. Alcaldes have probably in some cases, and under peculiar circumstances exercised powers which were never conferred upon them by law; but the general result has been favorable to the preservation of order and the dispensation of justice." Alcalde was a Spanish-Mexican institution which had been continued in the newly acquired territory of California. He was both arbiter and judge, with an assortment of other functions, legal and social. His purpose was to bring conflicting causes into "conciliation" to forestall legal action if possible. Near the coast this office had some sort of supervision from the military governors, but back in the mountains it was all powerful.

An illiterate individual who definitely had no directives from higher authorities

The Pacific Historian

was R. S. Ham who pre-empted the office of Alcalde in I 849 at Sonora and proceeded to render decisions until a case "demanded more talent than he was supposed to possess" (Herbert Lang). It is more than likely that the following letter applied to him.

State Department of California Monterey, September 4, x 849

Sir: I am directed by the governor to acknowledge the receipt of your petition in relation to the conduct of the alcalde of the "Sonorenian camp."

Now that the "supreme tribunal of California is fully organized, the executive does not conceive it to be his duty to interfere in a case like this. The case can either be carried up before that court, or you can arraign the alcalde before that tribunal for mal-administration of justice."

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. Halleck Juan Jose Needa, Pre Brevet Captain and Secretary of State.

General Riley was back from his tour of the mines and the convention to draft a constitution was about to meet. If Alcalde Ham is the above mentioned individual, his withdrawal (a euphemism), came about because a miner, ex-cook on the "P. S. S. Oregon" was accused of theft. Alcalde Ham ordered him locked up until the next day, when he would most certainly be hung. A former ship-mate, Charles Bassett, man of many projects, collected the miners and elected James Frazier, a store-keeper, whose first act was to christen the camp. When the trial came off, the evidence was less than convincing and a flogging was ordered. There is no record that the sentence was ever carried out.

It seems unlikely that the above letter refers to any of Ham's successors. James Frazier was succeeded by H. W. Theall of Pennsylvania after a duly orthodox election. Theall was followed by Charles F. Dodge of New York, who remained in office until Tuolumne was established as a county and the American system of juris­prudence was inaugurated when the first state legislature met in San Jose.

These men were among the earliest arrivals in Tuolumne. Others were Colonel B. F. Moore of Florida, a delegate to the constitutional convention; Emmanuel Lino­berg, Poland; Peter Mehen, Ireland; Joshua Holden, Major Richard C. Barry, Major Abiel Elkins, and A. W. Luckett, who served warrants for Judge Barry, all Texas; Theophilus Dodge, New York; Dr. Lewis Gunn, Philadelphia; and GeorgeS. Evans, Texas, who had lost a brother at the Alamo. All figured prominently in the building of Sonora.

Since November 7, 1849, Sonora had had a form of town council, organized at a public meeting called especially for the purpose of setting up a hospital to take care of the great number of cases of scurvy due to bad food and lack of green vegetables. On this extempore council chosen for the first local government were C. F. Dodge, acting as mayor, Peter Mehen, Joshua Holden, E. Schonberg, Casimir Labetoure, William Perkins and J. B. Litton. In May 18so, H. W. Mintzer was elected to the same body. Ways of raising money were discussed, in order to meet the terrific expenses for patient care and anti-scorbutics. It was not long before the council was called upon to deal with other problems. The first State legislature was in session at San Jose and an act to establish Tuolumne as a county, with Sonora the county seat, was in commit­tee. A letter from a legislator was sent by fast messenger to Joshua Holden suggesting

\

!·

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that he "jump the gun," take several others into his confidence and take up all the unclaimed lots in Sonora for speculation. The act passed F ebruary I 8, I 8 5o, and the letter reached Mr. Holden just before the council meeting set for that evening. Mr. Holden indignantly informed the council of the letter and the fact of the passing of the act. He immediately proposed a bill to have all such lots taken up by the city, to be sold at auction for the benefit of the hospital. Up to this time, vacant lots were there for the taking, provided one did not take too sizeable a chunk of the town. Vacant ground on the side-hills, where there were no mining operations or claims, was unfenced and free to anyone or anything for pasturage. Mule trains had laid out many of the streets, obviously. Efforts were under way for an organized pattern and Messrs. Cooper and Galledge had been commissioned to survey the town. They were firm believers in square corners.

The council functioned until May I 8 5 I, when Sonora received a charter from the legislature to install a city government. After an election Charles F. Dodge continued in office as mayor, and H. W. Theall as alderman. New members were A. W. Luckett, clerk; Daniel E. Sayre, treasurer ; Leander Quint, recorder ; J. W. Richardson, assessor; A. F. Chatfield, H. T. Fuller, R. S. Gladwin, I. P. Yaney, Abraham A. H. Tuttle, and Lewis Gunn, aldermen. Charles M. Radcliff and H. R. Platt became justices of the peace. The former had moved his office into Sonora from Pine Log Crossing. Most of these men had served the town in various capacities from the very first efforts at organization and their signatures are on many of the old court records.

The first courts had been established by the State L egislature early in I 8 5o. "An Act to supercede Certain Courts and Regulate Appeals therefrom to the Supreme Court." Section 36 reads:" ... wherever a justice of the peace shall have entered upon the discharge of the duti es of his office, in any county, the office of the alcalde within such county shall thenceforth be superceded, and all laws conferring jurisdiction upon alcaldes, or relating to their powers and proceedings, or to the powers and duties of their clerks, or other officers, shall, as to such county, be abolished. The offices of prefect, sub-prefect, regidor, syndico, and their powers and duties shall cease and determine at the same time." Section 3 7 reads: "So soon as the county judge and sheriff thereof have been elected and qualified," the offices formerly held, shall be abolished. This act was printed in the d lta California in San Francisco, April I 3, I850. The date for the election was April first, and a notice was published in the March fifteenth issue of the Stockton Times. Candidates were announced for the new posts in the March 23rd issue of the same paper. "Major Barry is a candidate for the office of judge of Tuolumne County." Henry Barber ran for county attorney and won over J. K. Shafer, later to fill the same position. The election returns printed April6, gave Barry's opponent, A. A. H. Tuttle, the winning votes for County Judge. William H. Ford was elected clerk, and G eorge Work, sheriff over William Ford. Major Barry became one of the j,ustices of the peace.

(Continued in d u gust issue)

The Pacific Historian

French IVesterners By GLENN PRICE

Interest in the life and literature of the frontier American West does not stop short at the nation's boundaries. Western movies, as is well known, are a part of the popular culture from Iceland to Indonesia, but the fascination with the "primitive" West is not limited to passive acceptance of the products of the Hollywood myth-makers. The Westerners movement, which in the last fifteen years has produced organizations ("Corrals") in many cities of the United States, has gone overseas. A corral was recently formed in West Germany, there are prospects for one in Sweden, and there has been a very active group in England for several years.

There is also a French Corral, established in Paris in I955· Very little information on the French Westerners was available in this country until Mr. Philip A. Danielson, a member of the Chicago Corral and now President of the Westerners Foundation, on a visit to Europe in I957, looked up the "Sheriff" of the Corral, Monsieur Gabriel Chen, and brought back a report. In their issue of July 28, I 9 58, Newsweek magazine had an article on the French Westerners which aroused considerable interest. A few weeks ago we wrote to Sheriff Chen for current information on their activities. Under date of April4, I 9 59, we have a reply. We print a portion of his letter, with the thought that many will be interested in data on this exotic transplant. (The translation is by Mr. Sherman Spencer, Circulation Librarian of the College of the Pacific.)

* * * * Paris, February 4, I959 ... I was very happy to read your letter and very pleased to see that our small West­enlers group is beginning to be known. Our latest effort consists of organizing exhibi­tions to show the true history of the American West. Currently we have organized an exhibition of Indian relics and costumes in a large Paris department store. We were able to obtain the material for this display through the generosity of various members of our group who had private collections of authentic costumes and relics.

Aside from this, we plan each week a horseback riding session at which our members learn to thrown the lasso. Also each week our orchestra rehearses and our square dancers practice. [The orchestra consists of a guitar, fiddle, harmonica, and banjo.] Our corral was officially organized in I 9 55 and since then we have tried to attract as many mem­bers as possible who are interested in the Western United States. We now have about 30 members of which about 20 are active participants in the activities of the club.

We are trying, of course, as much as possible to gather authentic materials such as boots, spurs, saddles, hats, shirts and pants, etc. We now have ten complete western saddles, but we are always seeking relics of the Old West for our collections (old spurs, moccasins, peace pipes, weapons, etc.) ...

Yours very truly,

[Signed] Gabriel Chen

We encourage anyone who would like to transfer some of the American West to Paris, and has such items as Monsieur Chen mentions, to send peace pipes, etc., to Gabriel Chen, 26 Rue Clisson, Paris, XIII, France.

The Pacific Historian 39

The Log Book of P. A. Athearn By LovELIA ATHEARN

( Co11timted from F ebmmy issue)

Wednesday August 1st

Started at 7 o'clock. Road again forks-one going over the hills to the right-the other following the valley by crossing the river. Traveled 9 miles and encamped for the day as our Mules showed f atigue from the drive over the hills yesterday and having a scanty supply of grass. This part of the Humboldt is scantily supplied with grass.

Thursday August 2nd.

Left camp at s0 o'clock-following the valley. At about 22 miles from place of starting this morning the road passes close around a right hand point near the River and then leaves it passing over an Alkali Plain and Sage Desert for eight miles before striking the River again. This part of the route is destitute of grass. Encamped on the bank of the River at 9 p.m. Making 30.

Friday August 3rd.

Started at 6 0 o'clock to find grazing for our Mules and found pretty fair grass after traveling 8 where we encamped for the day.

Saturday August 4th. Left camp at s0 o'clock. Start following the Valley over a barren Sage Desert most

of the way. Traveled 8 hours-20.

Sunday August 5th Remained in camp.

Monday August 6th

Started at _7.4 of 6 o'clock. Road down the valley to foot of hill where the road turns to the right and passes over a range of hills to where it strikes the River. Road now continues down the right bank of the River, passing around a large bottom of Alkali Swampy Sand. Traveled I rYz hrs- 19.

Tuesday August 7th

Left camp at 8 0 o'clock. Road continuing down the Valley over a succession of Sand Bluffs for r6 to where the road forks-left hand one crossing the River and taking up the left bank of the River.

Wednesday August 8th

Started at sYz o'clock. Road through the bottom on left bank of River for ro where it again crosses the River.

Thursday August 9th

Started at 6 o'clock. Road leading to the right up a steep Sand Bluff on to the high table Sage & Greasewood Desert to where it again strikes the River by the left hand road. This part of the road is destitute of water and grass and as in many other places covered either with sand or light dust to the depth of several inches. Road now con­tinues down the River over 2 or 3 sand ridges to where it descends a rather steep bluff to the River.

40 The Pacific Historian

Friday August 1oth

Started at 6 Yz o'clock. Road now leading down the right bank of the River through a broad barren valley. Very little grass and what little there is, is in the low bottoms of the River. Road leaves the River 12 and again ascends to a high brown Sage Desert entirely destitute of either water or grass,

Saturday Aug. I Ith

Left at 5Yz o'clock. We encamped last night on the desert and drove our Mules off to the left 2 miles to the River where we found good grass. Road strikes the River 14 and immediately leaves it again ascending to the Sage or Greasewood Plain again. Road touches at River r o and again ascends to the Desert Plain and continues over a broad and dreary waste to where it reaches a Slough 12. Here the road forks-the right leading on to the Sink and the left crossing the dry Slough and running down towards the River for six miles to a fine bottom of sand covered with a very luxurient growth of grass sufficient to graze all the stock on the road.

Sunday, Monday & Tuesday Aug. 12th, 13th& 14th

Remained in camp and left on the 14th at 5 o'clock. Road leading back through the desert bottom to where it intersects the old road.

Distance from Camp to "Sink" r8 Sulphur Springs or Wells 5-These are holes dug in the side of a Ravine some

4 to 6 feet deep where stands water in taste very much like the Celebrated Blue Spring Water but not so highly impregnated with Sulphur. Reached these Springs about 2

o'clock at night and encamped.

Wednesday· Aug. 15th

Started again at 3 p.m. descending from the Sand Bluff where we encamped to a low barren Plain of vast extent, covering several hundred square miles. To Forks of road 2-the one leading to the left going by way of Carson River-the right hand one (which we took) leading to Truckee River. To Boiling Springs 18 over a good level road most of the way. These Springs are great natural curiosities. The water is slightly brackish but after cooling we gave to our Mules and drank of it considerably. Arrived here about 2 at night and encamped.

Thursday Aug. 16th

Left at Yz to 9 o'clock. Road continuing over the Desert Plain and very good till we arrived at the foot of a high Sand Plain 12 after ascending the Bluff and finding the sand deep we concluded to leave one waggon and put both Teams to the other and try and reach the Truckee River distance, but found it impractible after going about half way, as the Mules were suffering very much for Water & Grass. Took our Mules on and I remained on the Desert with the waggon without water which we all needed very much. The water used at the Sulphur or Boiling Springs or both affected the kidneys of a good number, causing great pain.

Friday Aug. 17th

Remained on the Plain all day with the waggon as the Mules were considered too weak to haul it into the River. Some of the party bringing out water to drink and cook with.

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Saturday !lug. r8th

Hauled the waggons into the River today.

Sunday !lug. 19th Remained in camp.

Monday !lug. 2oth

Started at 7 o'clock taking the left hand road 0 miles ascended a high Bluff over a sandy road for 20 miles-then pretty fair the balance of the way except three places of about I 0 or 2 miles each.

To Carson river 25 but no water or grass.

Tuesday !lug. 21st.

Remained camped on the Carson River. Good grass both up and down the River.

Wednesday !lug. 22nd.

Left camp at 6 o'clock taking the left hand across the Plain- Road most of the way good to the River 20. There is considerable timber growing along the banks of this and Truckee River-mostly cottonwood.

Thursday !lug. 23rd.

Left camp at 6 o'clock. Road up the River 8 where it takes off to the right over a high range of mountains to the River 10- Up the River I

Friday Aug. 24th

Here we again came in sight of the Snowy Peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as also Forests of large Pine Trees-some of which I measured 40 feet from the ground-measuring I8 feet in circumference. Up a valley and over some hills to the River 7, where we encamped in one of the largest and most extensive valleys of grass we have seen anywhere on our route. We supposed its greatest width to be some 20 miles and enclosed on each side with Pine covered mountains whose summits seemed to reach to the clouds and whose sides were more or less whitened with snow.

Saturday !lug. 25th

Started at 5 o'clock and continued up the valley of the River for good grass and water.

Sunday· !lug. 26th

Left camp at y,j. to 7. We concluded to travel a part of today as we had lost a good deal of time and the Ox Teams are crowding up. The road now keeps on the low hills to Pass on Rock Creek Canon or Kanyon. Through the Canon 5, and such a road and such a place I never saw before. It is a deep valley and very narrow where the water forces its way, having a great fall and hemmed in on both sides with almost perpen­dicular Granite (Grey) Rock Mountains towering some 2 or 3 thousand feet above our heads. The valley being strewed with the broken fragments which from time to time have given way over and between which the road or trail makes its way. It seems almost impossible for waggons to pass through but still they do it. We got about ¥3 through the Canon and encamped taking our Mules to grass.

Monday !lug. 27th

This day will long be remembered by our party on account of the difficulty in getting through the Canon which we finally accomplished about 4 o'clock. Last night

The Pacific Historian

in driving our Mules to grass two of them got into a swampy piece of ground-all under but their heads & necks. Also two of the Vance men got in-one up to his neck, the other entirely under.

Tuesday Aug. 28th

Road leading up the valley occasionally passing over low hills to Red Lake I o when we encountered the Elephant Tusk-all in the slope of the rockiest and steepest part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The ascent was at an angle of about 6o degrees up which we had to pack about half our load on our backs for 74 of a mile.

Wednesday Aug. 29th

Encamped on the hill about 74 the way up on Tuesday night and got over today and encamped at Lake Valley.

Thursday Aug. 30th

Started at 5 _0 o'clock and commenced the ascent of the highest Ridge of Mountains which we accomplished with greater ease than we did the other, although the altitude was much greater. We were several hundred feet above banks of Snow yet there were Peaks a great deal higher than where we crossed. The ascent was about to the top 4-The descent to Rocky Valley 6.

Friday Aug. 3 rst.

Started at 674 o'clock. Road leading over a succession of lower mountains by a circulating route keeping clear of the larger masses of Rock. Some of the Mountains seem to look at a distance like solid Masses of Rock covered with heavy Pine Timber growing out of the crevices.

Saturday Sept. rst.

Left camp at 6 o'clock and in about one mile came to Leek Springs. After going 2 or 3 miles the road kept on a ridge till we arrived at the descent to Camp Creek. The road immediately ascends the mountain again and continues down a ridge although quite hilly for r6 when we encamped-there being two Springs a short distance to the left and grass 2 miles to the left.

Sunday Sept. 2nd Remained in camp.

Monday Sept. 3rd

Left camp at 8 o'clock. Three of our Party spent a part of the day in searching the woods for the Jinny [Hinny] Mule, but did not find him. Road continued down the ridge and very dusty. Timber changing from tall and lofty Pine and Arbor Vitae to low Scrubby Oak. Traveled and encamped.

Tuesday Sept. 4th.

Started at 6 _0 o'clock. Head of Pleasant Valley 3 Followed down the Valley to the first digging in a small village of [perhaps

Volcano] and encamped.

[END OF PART ONE]

The Pacific Historian 43

((Late and True from Oregon"

By DR. ARTHURs. TAYLOR

During the past summer I received as a gift from one of my summer session students at the State University Teachers College at Oneonta, New York, a copy of the New York Weekly Tribune dated February I, I84S· At that time the Tribune was published by Greeley and McEbrath at I6o Nassau Street.

It was customary in those days for a weekly newspaper to publish poems, book reviews, essays, and letters on the front page as well as an occasional news dispatch. In my issue (Volume IV, No. 2 I) I note that R. W. Emerson has a short pastoral poem in top center column. Much more interesting to Oregonians, however, is a letter from an emigrant named John Boardman which was being used as anti-Oregon propaganda. Apparently the famous dictum attributed to Greeley, "Go West young man and grow up with the country" did not apply to the Pacific Northwest.

The introduction and letter follow:

LATE AND TRUE FROM OREGON

The following letter from an emigrant now in Oregon appears in the last Western (Missouri) Journal. It states much truth which had already been proclaimed by Farn­ham and by many others, but which the adventurers who are luring thousands to settle in Oregon are continually lying down. Why will people choose to be deceived? The Oregonian says:

I left the Shawnee mission on the 29th of May [I 844] ; our route was through the Caw Indian country, which is good, has considerable timber, and is well watered. It is a bad country for wagons to travel through, having so many sloughs and bad creeks; the teams were often stalled, and made slow progress. We had three rivers and creeks to cross before we reached Platte river. The Platte river has good grass-plenty of it­but is destitute of timber. Here we saw the first buffalo; they were poor and tough. We saw a few of the Pawnee Indians; they are fine looking fellows, and, no doubt, live well on buffalo meat; they are quite treacherous. We reached the crossing of the Platte on the 2d day of July, a little more than one month out. The traveling up Platte is very good, level and hard. We struck from this to the North fork of Platte, one day's travel. On the I 3th of July we arrived at the crossing of Laramie's fork, at the fort of the American Fur Company. Before arriving here, we saw many splendid sights; also many of the dog towns that you have heard of. I saw quantities of the dogs; they are small, round animals, the size of a cat. Certain it is, that there are owls that visit them, also rattle snakes; but for what reason is matter of dispute. After we left Laramie, we came to the Black Hills, the worst of all traveling-hilly, sandy, and full of wild sage; it is death on a wagon. The country is all of this barren, sandy kind, until we reach Fort Hall, and destitute of timber. Arrived at Fort Hall I 3th of September, after experiencing some cold rains, snows, hail, etc.

At Fort Hall we could get no provisions, and were obliged to go down to the river (the Snake,) and depend on getting fish to subsist on; this was the reason of my going

44- The Pacific Historian

to Oregon instead of California. The country down Snake river is hilly, rocky, sandy, no timber, but an abundance of sage, until we go to the Blue Mountains; here is plenty of pine, the country very broken and bad traveling, though the wagons went through. After getting through the Blue Mountains, we came to a splendid country of grass, where there were thousands of Indian horses grazing. About twenty miles from this we came toW alla-Walla Valley; they raise grain and vegetables, but no timber except for fire wood. About twenty miles from this, we came to the Columbia River; many of the emigrants sold their cattle here, and went down the river by water, as they could not cross the Cascade Mountains with their wagons, though they could go down one hundred miles further and then take water, as many of them did. The country on the Columbia is only fit for grazing, being good grass but sandy soil. On the 3d of November arrived at Fort Vancouver, just as the rainy season had commenced; and it was very disagreeable, and rained most of the time I was there.

I then went to Wallammette F alls, quite a town here-forty houses, four stores, two saw-mills, one flour-mill, and another to be erected soon. This count1·y is not capable of half as large a settlement as people represent: there is much timber, and it cannot be cleared in many years so as to be capable of any great production; and what prairie there is will not produce as much as your land; but the wheat is better; neither do many think the soil will last long, but that it is rather shallow; and ther·e is much fever and ague. Besides the winters are so wet, 'tis impossible to do much out of doors. It has the advantage that grain (wheat) is worth eighty cents per bushel, and cattle will winter themselves.* Take it all in all, 'tis nothing like your country.

I hardly know what to write about Oregon, or what you would like to know; though if I was where you are, and should see some one from Oregon, I could ask him a hundred questions, as you could me. The report of Wilkes that you had is very correct. There are thousands of salmon here-some wild game, plenty of ducks, geese, and swans, and some good wet places to raise more of them; as there must be some wet places, being so much rain in the winter, and no snow.

There is scarcely any corn raised- it will not do well. I saw a little but it was poor. Most other kinds of grain do well. There is no money in Oregon; although most of those who have been farming a few years have made property, as grain is high and cattle take care of themselves, and sell high -oxen worth $7 5 to $I 2 5 per yoke; beef, six cents per pound. Many of the people who went to California have left it and gone to Oregon. I saw many of them while there; and they gave us as one of the reasons of leaving-trouble with the Spaniards.

Truly yours, J No. BoARDMAN

*So they will in Kentucky and in all South-Western States.-(Ed.)

' I

I I i

l ~

PROGRAM

Fifth Annual Meeting

CoNFERENCE oF CALIFORNIA HisToRICAL SociETIEs

San Mateo, June 25-26-27, 195 9

Thursday, June 25 Headquarters: Villa Motel

4 :oo- 6 :oo PM Registration and greetings 8:ooPM Tour of San Mateo County Historical Museum

Dr. F. N. Stanger, Director

Friday, June 26 8:30- 9:ooAM 9 :oo- 9:I5 AM 9:I5-I I :30 AM

I2:oo M

2:oo- 3 :I 5 PM

3 :oo- 5 :30 PM 7:3oPM

Saturday, June 27 9:oo-I2:oo M 9:oo-Io:oo AM

Io:oo-10:30 AM 10:30-II:ooAM

Board of Directors' Meeting

Registration Greetings and announcements PANEL No. I :Miss Irene Simpson, Moderator, Public Relations for Historical Societies I. Books-John Warriner for Fearon Publishers 2. Newspapers- Ralph Kreiser, Pres. Kern Cty. Historical Soc. 3· Magazines- George Pfieffer, III, Mgr. Lane Publishing Co. Coffee Break 4· Radio-Stuart Choate Luncheon Preserving theM aterial of History Donald C. Biggs, Director, California Historical Society Butterfield Overland Awards PANEL No. 2 : Burr Belden, Moderator Modern M ethods of Recording and Reproduction By Representative of Recording Machine Distributors Tour of Sunset Magazine Headquarters Banquet California, Vanguard of the Pacific Dr. Robert E. Burns, President, College of the Pacific

Morning Sessions: PANEL No. 3: Moderator: Methods of Preserving Historical Records OldPrintsandPaintings,J. P. Dengler, Palo Alto Coffee Break Digging Up the Past in California Francis A. Riddell, Division of Beaches and Parks

I I :oo-I I :30 AM !lrt and Architecture of the California Missions

I I :30-I2:oo M

I2:oo M I :30 PM I~5 PM

Dr. Kurt Baer, University of California at Santa Barbara Adventures in Local Historical Exploration Richard C. Bailey, Director, Kern County Museum Luncheon: Place of your choice Group meetings for election of Regional Vice-Presidents General meeting: Clyde Arbuckle, Presiding Closing remarks: Dr. Rockwell D. Hunt, President Emeritus

For reservations, contact Dr. F. N. Stanger, I5 37 Cypress Ave., Burlingame, Calif.

The Pacific Historian

THE PACIFIC HISTORIAN

COLLEGE OF THE pACIFIC Stockton 4, California

Issued in February, May, August, and November

~ Reginald R. Stuart

Editors Grace D. Stuart Glenn W. Price

SUBSCRIPTION $2 PER YEAR

ExPANDED HoRIZONS

With this issue of the Historian, news of the Westerners will appear in these col­umns. Accordingly, the Westerners Foun­dation has been added to the mast head and Glenn W. Price, its Executive Direc­tor, becomes an Associate Editor. We ex­pect to carry historical material pertaining to all parts of the West.

HrsToRY CAN BE FuN

The program of the recent History Insti­tute (April 1 o- 1 I) seemed to be a happy combination of interesting addresses, de­licious meals, cordial reunions, and a jolly river excursion-all amid charming and restful surroundings. Over 260 guests registered for this twelfth annual history gathering at the College of the Pacific. Probably it was one of the largest and most enthusiastic conventions of its kind in the state during the past yenr.

PACIFIC TouRs

For almost four decades Pacific has been noted for its tours. Starting as "camping out" trips to Death Valley by Doctors Bawden, J onte, and Werner in the early 'twenties, the program has expanded to cover almost every part of the West. Again, history is mixed with friendliness and enjoyable surroundings. During this past year tour after tour was filled weeks before the event. As always, the most sue-

cessful publicity came from enthusiastic participants.

Some of the tours for I959-I96o are: California Missions, Beaver Trail to the Pacific Northwest, Apache Trail to the Southwest, Northern Rocky Mountain, Southern Rocky Mountain, San Simeon and Central Coast, San Francisco Bay, North Bay and Lake County, Sierra and Silver Trails, Sacramento, and San J oa­quin-Sacramento Delta. In the planning stage are the Alaska and Hawaiian tours to augment Pacific's popular tours to M exico, Europe, and Around the World.

DoN'T SELL PACIFIC SHORT

With a background of a thousand years of culture, it should be obvious to most thinking individuals that plain bigness by itself has never been a synonym of great­ness. All through history the small and dedicated groups have excelled the motley throngs that have staked their success on mere size. Pacific is a College with many of the best attributes of a small Univer­sity. It has matured with the years and achievable goals. Don't sell Pacific short.

A FuLL QurvER OF SPEECHEs Native son of Stockton and daring Sher­iff of the local Corral of Westerners, V. Covert Martin has recently handled a tough herd of speaking dates. Among others: Calaveras Historical Society, Pio­neer Museum ( 5 groups), South San J oa­quin T eachers, Stockton Junior College, John Adams School ( 2 groups), Stagg High School, and the California History Institute. We bet he has burned his brand on every maverick.

RECOVERING Friends of Dr. Rockwell D. Hunt will be happy to learn that the Nestor of Cali­fornia historians is well on the way to complete recovery. This is the informa­tion from Oakdale Community Hospital as this issue of the Historian goes to press.

The Pacific I--Iistorian 47

IN MEMORIAM- SPONSORS

Bert}. Morris (April28, 1959) College Professor, Director of Religious Educa­tion, Editor, Minister, Modest Gentle­man.

Leslie V. Richardson (April3o, 1959) Native Son of California, Orchardist, Loyal Friend of Pacific.

Caroline Wenzel (March 24, 1959) Librarian, Researcher, Author, Coun­selor, Talented Historian.

CHECK THE DATE!

I. San Simeon Tour to Hearst Castle, May 1-3, I959·

2. First Summer Session, C. 0. P., June 23-}uly 24, I959·

3· Fifth Annual Conference of Cali­fornia Historical Societies, San Mateo, June 25-27, 1959·

4· J edediah Smith Sierra and Silver Tour, July I0-12, 1959·

5· Second Annual Beaver Trail of the Pacific Northwest, August I-I6,

1959· 6. Fall Semester, C. 0. P., Classes Be­

gin, September 2I, I959·

7· Pacific Tours' Reunion and Pacific Associates, October I o, I 9 59·

8. San Simeon Tour to Hearst Castle, October 23-25, 1959·

9· J edediah Smith Fall Rendezvous, November 7, 1959·

IO. Apache Trail Tour to the South­west, December I 9, I 9 59-January 3, I960.

I I. California History Foundation In­stitute, March 25-26, 1960.

I2. Thirteenth Annual Missions Tour, April9-I6, I96o.

Honoring a Sponsor of the California History Foundation

SYNGMAN RHEE

President of the Republic of Korea

October 24, I 9 58

In recognition and appreciation of their exceptionally praise­worthy service, the Republic of Korea takes pleasure in awarding

PRESIDENTIAL MEDALS

to

REVEREND AND MRs. L. L. LooFBOUROW

Through their helpful interest in the Korean Christian Institute in Honolulu, Mr. and Mrs. Loofbourow rendered great service to our people in Hawaii. The wisdom of their Christian insight and kindly spirit influenced the lives of scores of young men and women and will continue to extend onward through generations to come.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Loofbourow supported by word and in deed the noblest tradi­tions of the missionary service. With self-sacrificing devotion they upheld at all times

The Pacific Historian

the cause of right and justice, and were staunch champions of our people in the struggle for Korea's independence and freedom.

The friendship and counsel of Mr. and Mrs. Loofbourow are deeply appreciated by the Korean people, and I am pleased, on their behalf, to award this recognition as a token expression of our gratitude for the contribution they have made as friends of our people and apostles of international understanding and goodwill.

In responding to the presentation Dr. Loofbourow said: Mr. Ambassador, Consul General Kim, and Friends of Korea: It is indeed with

high appreciation that Mrs. Loofbourow and I accept these Presidential medals and citations.

It is now forty-five years since we first met your honored President. The highest academic degree, that of Doctor of Philosophy, had just been conferred on him by Princeton University. His diploma was signed by the then Princeton President, Wood­row Wilson.

He could not return to Asia, for the Japanese military were in control. So he came to Hawaii to take charge of the educational work of the Hawaii Methodist Mission.

At that time I was pastor of the First Methodist Church in Honolulu. Dr. Rhee and I were about the same age, and had similar tastes and interests. We were deeply con­cerned in his work and his people. When he opened his first school, The Korean Christian Institute, for Korean girls, Mrs. Loofbourow was one of the Directors of the school, and served as a substitute teacher. Our children well remember the times he sat at our dinner table.

It was during those years that The Republic of Korea in Exile was formed. Am I correct in my recollection that its name was "Tai Hahn Min Kook-the Country of the People of Hahn?" It was a republic with no resources, no organization, no seat of government, and no power. But it had a President! For Dr. Rhee by training and Christian character was inevitably its leader. There followed thirty years when he was a lone voice in Washington, London, Paris, Geneva, The Hague, San Francisco, plead­ing for the Korean people.

When in 1948 General MacArthur for the United Nations restored the sovereignty of Korea to its people, Dr. Rhee was, by almost unanimous vote, elected president.

In his inaugural address the new President said, as I understand it quoting a Korean proverb, "He who lifts a heavy stone, his face will be red." There have been many, many heavy stones for the young republic of Korea to lift in the intervening years. But your country has had as its leader a man of unusual preparation, high devotion, unquestioned courage and integrity, and singleness of purpose.